I love the last bit about not being able to identify the friends of the dragon. It's like they're harpies, or something. Always present, swooping in for a strike and fading away before you can swat them or identify them enough to fight them off.

My DH and I used to say raising kids could be like "being pecked to death by flies". But it's not the kids that are pecking, it's the should have's and shouldn't haves.

Loved this piece!